Category Archives: Arms – Bis & Tris

Day 39 rolled around and I am getting more and more frustrated about working out at home! Ha! I guess I just miss the gym so much and am too used to the luxury of having all my equipment. HOWEVER, this will spur me on to get more creative. I have been trying to do things with just basic home equipment to avoid excluding people who cannot just turn a room of their house into a mini gym. I may purchase a Power Tower and a bench, since working out at a gym just does not work for my schedule at all, BUT I will still continue writing variations for those who do not have these tools.

Variations:

Barbell Curl: If you don’t have a barbell, use dumbbells. The key, however, is to keep your grips stationary so that they do not pull inward or outward motion during the entire execution.

Overhead Cable Curl: I am short so this worked perfectly for me – I hooked one end of my resistance band to the stationary grip of my elliptical machine. Then I stood far enough back to get good resistance and performed single-arm overhead curls.

Cable Hammer Curls: Since the LiveFit Trainer uses the rope attachment, this variation worked excellently – I stood, with one foot, on the center of my resistance band, then with grips in hammer position, I performed the curls. Flawless!

Triceps Pushdown – Rope Attachment: I hooked my resistance band around the top of my elliptical machine. Kneeling down gave me enough resistance to perform this exercise.

Hanging Leg Raise (or roman chair): I sat at the edge of my firm leather coffee table. Starting with my heels touching the ground, my legs straight. Not bending my legs, I raised my legs till my feet were at least shoulder height. ADDED COMMENT: I am planning to get a Power Tower so I can do these and pull ups and dips.

Variations:

Barbell Curl: If you don’t have a barbell, use dumbbells. The key, however, is to keep your grips stationary so that they do not pull inward or outward motion during the entire execution.

Overhead Cable Curl: I am short so this worked perfectly for me – I hooked one end of my resistance band to the stationary grip of my elliptical machine. Then I stood far enough back to get good resistance and performed single-arm overhead curls.

Cable Hammer Curls: Since the LiveFit Trainer uses the rope attachment, this variation worked excellently – I stood, with one foot, on the center of my resistance band, then with grips in hammer position, I performed the curls. Flawless!

Triceps Pushdown – Rope Attachment: I hooked my resistance band around the top of my elliptical machine. Kneeling down gave me enough resistance to perform this exercise.

This was the exact same workout as last week, so the variations here are the same. I really enjoyed this back workout and added an extra set to each exercise just to push a little further. Never be afraid to push yourself! I have heard soooo many people tell me that they are scared of getting bulky, to which my bodybuilding friends will always plea, “please, PLEASE tell me how easy it is to put on muscle. I’d really like to know” 🙂 To put on “bulky” muscle you have to eat differently and workout differently and you have to WANT it BAD… So, for those of you worried about the bulky muscle, have no fear! You are safe to just be super fit and toned!

Variations:

Hammer Strength Lat Pull: Threw my resistance band over the top of my door, then using the hammer motion I did beautifully executed lat pull downs. Note…Be sure it is not near the edge of the door where it can snap off and hit you haha…*cough* learned by experience *cough*

Seated Narrow Grip Cable Rows: Door open and perpendicular to your body, hook the resistance band around both sides of the door knob. Sit in a chair and voila! Low row set up.

T-Bar Row: Holding a heavy single dumbbell, I bent over at a near-90 and pulled up for the row.

Back Extensions: I knelt on my couch facing the arm of the couch. Arms crossed over my chest I let my body bend and hang over the side of the couch, then flexed up for the extension. I was surprised how well this worked!

Incline Dumbbell Curl: This one was tough. I tried to lean my chair back against the wall in a carpeted room (so as not to slip). This worked ok, but the back of my chair was wider than me so my arms did not have that free-range that they would on a real bench. This exercise made me want to invest in an adjustable bench.

Variations:

Incline Dumbbell Press: while resting between the pushup sets I tried to use that time to figure out a way to do this incline press. I finally decided that the best of my attempts was creating an angle with several pillows. I know…I felt like I was cheating using something soft, but it was safer than my chair attempt and way more doable than turning your mattress sideways…that just was not worth me stripping my bed for..

Decline Flies: This worked out well for me because my coffee table is lower than my couch, so butt on the couch and shoulders on the coffee table made for a great decline.

Lying EZ-Bar Triceps Extension: Since I do not yet have an EZ bar, I merely used dumbbells for this.

Cable One Arm Triceps Extension: I draped my resistance band over the door, held one handle stationary while I exercised on the other handle for One-Arm extensions.

Variations:

Hammer Strength Lat Pull: Threw my resistance band over the top of my door, then using the hammer motion I did beautifully executed lat pull downs. Note…Be sure it is not near the edge of the door where it can snap off and hit you haha…*cough* learned by experience *cough*

Seated Narrow Grip Cable Rows: Door open and perpendicular to your body, hook the resistance band around both sides of the door knob. Sit in a chair and voila! Low row set up.

T-Bar Row: Holding a heavy single dumbbell, I bent over at a near-90 and pulled up for the row.

Back Extensions: I knelt on my couch facing the arm of the couch. Arms crossed over my chest I let my body bend and hang over the side of the couch, then flexed up for the extension. I was surprised how well this worked!

Incline Dumbbell Curl: This one was tough. I tried to lean my chair back against the wall in a carpeted room (so as not to slip). This worked ok, but the back of my chair was wider than me so my arms did not have that free-range that they would on a real bench. This exercise made me want to invest in an adjustable bench.

Variation:

Tricep pushdown: I do not have a cable system at home so I used a resistance band. Hang it over your pull up bar and center it so that you have access to both end grips. OR door OR kneel behind a chair and hold the resistance band higher up so you get the right resistance.

Variations:

Seated Cable Rows: bent-over dumbbell rows OR wrap resistance bands/cables behind your flexed feet and grip high enough on the band to get good resistance

Underhand Cable Pulldowns: chin ups

One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl: kneeling on my couch, I put one arm over the back of the couch to serve as my preacher bench. I tried this over the arm of the couch and it seemed to simulate the preacher bench better, but it was difficult finding a kneeling/laying position to get the right angle…it’s a work in progress